Shining Hearts
by GateKeeperSyn
Summary: Companion to Shining Wizard (please read that first). Taylor (Bo Dallas) secretly struggles with severe depression but finds light as he grows closer with Tenille (Emma). In the midst of chaos and angst, the two fall in love, but will Tenille's love be enough to save him from his hidden darkness? Bo/Emma. Featuring Bray Wyatt, Paige, and others.
1. Chapter 1

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_ _This fic is a companion fic to Shining Wizard and contains spoilers for that fic. The other two companion fics I promised will be called Shining Stars (about Dean and Nattie, which is already up) and Shining Souls (about Rosa and Drew, coming soon). It doesn't matter what order you read these three fics in, because they all go in different directions, but please make sure to read the original fic first! Enjoy Taylor and Tenille's sides of the story! Please read and review, and as always, thanks for your support!_

 **CHAPTER ONE**

 _ **TAYLOR**_

Anything is possible. I really do believe that. It's not just part of my gimmick. My name is Taylor, but you probably know me by my ring name, Bo Dallas. Almost everyone calls me Bo, except for the people closest to me. Still, more people call me by my name than my brother, Windham. Everyone calls him Bray except for me. I'm not sure if they do it because they dislike his real name or because he almost never breaks character, but around me, he's not a cult leader named Bray Wyatt, he's just my big brother Win.

"You okay, Taylor?" Win asks me.

I'm far from it. My mind is racing. My body is still sore from Big Show beating me up tonight. He came at me so hard, it knocked the wind out of me. Heck, I'm pretty sure he was trying to knock my _soul_ out of my body. Big Show isn't really a bad guy, but sometimes he forgets to hold back on people who are smaller than him, which is basically everyone. I don't mind much, because that's the job, and I love it even when I'm left unable to walk after a match.

I put on my brightest smile and say, "I'm great!"

"I'm gonna beat his ass for this!" Win says as he realizes I'm lying through my teeth.

"Win, stop. It's okay. It's the job. Sometimes, I'm going to get hurt."

"Not like this. You're a _kid_ , Taylor! He needs to go easier on you."

"You can't fight my battles for me. If I can't stand on my own two feet, why am I even here? I'll be fine."

Windham ignores me and calls a trainer over. He examines me quickly before saying, "I think it's just a bruised rib, but you better get an x-ray to be safe."

I groan inwardly. I know it's not serious. I have broken my ribs before, and it felt a lot worse than this, but with Win being so overprotective, I have to do this.

"If he broke you, I'll break him," Win assures me.

I love my brother, but I hate when he pulls this. I can handle myself. I get into my rental car, which Win insists on driving, and we head to the hospital together.

 _ **TENILLE**_

I believe in dancing through life. If you stay upbeat and surround yourself with good energy, great things will come. Why walk when you can run, right? Why skip when you can dance? (Unless you're AJ Lee, in which case, skipping is perfectly acceptable.)

It started pouring rain after tonight's show. I don't have an umbrella and my rental car's stuck in a ditch because I hydroplaned right off the road, but I can't do anything about either of these things, so I turn on my radio full-blast, step out of my car, and start spinning and dancing in the rain. It seems like as good a way as any to kill time until my cell phone decides to work so I can call a tow.

A car is driving by at a little over the speed limit. It slows to a stop. The passenger window rolls down. Bo Dallas peaks his head out.

"You okay, Emma?" He asks me. We're co-workers, but we aren't on a real-name basis. That happens a lot in this business.

"My car's stuck," I tell him.

He gets out of the car and examines mine. "Wow, you skidded off the road pretty badly. Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm good. Just wet."

He looks back at his car. "Win, come give me a hand," he says.

Bray Wyatt gets out of the car and I remember his name's actually Windham. He looks at me and he's all Wyatt. I take an automatic step back toward the car. Bo puts a gentle hand on my arm. "It's okay," he tells me. "My brother can help."

It's weird to think of Bo and Bray as brothers. I mean, yeah, they look a lot alike, but the similarities end there. Bo is all light and happiness, while Bray is dark and creepy. He nods at me in acknowledgement before turning his attention toward my car.

"You'll need to put it in neutral," he tells me.

"Right," I say nervously. I get in the car and do that.

Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas attempt to push my car out of the ditch. That sounds like the start of a bad joke. The punchline is that, even with all the _bo-_ lieving and the following of buzzards, my car won't move an inch.

"I need you to turn it on and give it gas," Bo tells me.

I try, but am quite frustrated when the car refuses to turn over. "I can't," I say.

"Pop the hood," Bray tells me. He pulls a set of tools out of the trunk of their car. Who carries tools in a rental car? Bray Wyatt, apparently.

Suddenly, Bray drops the gimmick and sets to work on my car like a skilled mechanic. He actually seems human as he twists one thing and turns another, working hard to get my engine to cooperate. Bo hands him things as he requests them. Finally, Bray says, "Try now."

My car turns over. I let out a sigh of relief. "Now hit the gas!" Bray says. I do. This time, the brothers get my car out of the ditch.

"Let me ride back to the hotel with you," Bo says. "This way, if you have any more issues, you won't be alone."

That's so sweet that I melt inside. "Thank you guys so much," I say.

"You sure you're okay?" Bray asks Bo.

"The doctor confirmed it's just a bruised rib, Win. I'm fine," Bo says.

"You pushed my car with a bruised rib?" I ask in horror.

"I'm okay," Bo reassures me. Bray drives their car off and Bo gets in mine.

"Thanks, Bo," I say again.

"It's Taylor, actually."

I smile. "Tenille," I tell him. He's smiling back at me now. His smile is adorable. It lights up his entire face. It's not the creepy Bo Dallas smile you see on TV, but a genuine, sweet one that makes him look about twelve years old.

"It's a pleasure to rescue you, Tenille," he tells me.

I laugh. "I'm totally a Bo-liever now," I inform him.

He laughs, too. "I guess I'll have to join the Emmalution. Actually, I'm already a member. I think you're great. You should be featured more."

"You make one mistake and they bury you…" I sigh and try not to let it get to me. This night that could have been a disaster is actually perfect, and I'm not going to let anything ruin it. I decide I like spending time with Taylor and we'll have to do it more often.

We reach the hotel. "Will you be okay?" Taylor asks me.

"I'm always okay," I say. I hug him. "Thanks again, Taylor. You're my hero."

Taylor blushes as he walks away. He's totally adorable right now. I walk into my room and get changed, quickly falling into a pleasant sleep. I dream of Taylor dancing with me in the rain and feel weirdly peaceful.

 _ **TAYLOR  
**_

I get back to my room and change quickly. The pain's kicking back in, but I ignore it. I'm in too good a mood to care. Tenille's happy nature is contagious and I'm feeling relaxed as I shower and get changed. I curl up in my bed and for once, my mind doesn't race with ten million concerns before I fall asleep. Instead, I dream of Tenille. I see the way she looked as she danced in the rain and I start dancing with her. We're laughing and I can't remember why I've ever felt depressed in my life. This is the first relief I've had in a long time. No one knows this, but I struggle with severe depression. It's why I try so hard to stay positive. Unfortunately, when I'm alone, the pain comes back, but not tonight. Tonight, I'm just dancing with Tenille and I'm actually feeling happy. I may have rescued her tonight, but with this dream, some part of her is rescuing me.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

 _ **TAYLOR**_

I'm cleared to wrestle and everything feels better. I chase away my lingering depression with thoughts of doing what I was born to do and getting in the ring. Win and I are near the dressing rooms when we spot trouble.

TJ is holding April's arm in a way she clearly doesn't appreciate. April's struggling against him and I know right away she's in trouble. "Hey!" I call out. A man should never grab a woman like that. I glare at TJ, then ask, "You okay, April?" TJ lets her go.

She's shaking badly. I look at Win and see all of the Bray Wyatt vanish from his face. It's replaced by concern for April. Our dad raised us right, and Win is just as infuriated by this sight as I am. "April?" He calls gently when she doesn't answer me.

Win breaking character seems to make TJ nervous. He plasters on an extremely fake smile and tries to sound charming as he says, "Relax guys." He rolls his eyes. "She tripped. I grabbed her to steady her before she fell." He tries to walk away.

Win grabs his arm with all of the intense rage of Bray Wyatt but none of the insanity. My brother knows how to be intimidating when he needs to be. "Hold on," he says. "You're not going anywhere until we get this straightened out." TJ tries to pull his arm free, but Win only grips is harder.

"Did he hurt you?" I ask April.

April is still trembling as she leans her head against my shoulder. She seems so vulnerable that I'm sure TJ did something awful to her, but she doesn't answer my question. Instead, she says, "I feel sick. Can you just sit with me somewhere for a few?"

She's lying, but she's scared. I decide not to push her and just guide her away. We sit down somewhere else. That's when she starts crying, a little at first, then much harder. She buries her head in my chest and I just hold her because I don't know what else to do. I whisper, "It's okay," over and over, just so there's something comforting to say. I'm so worried about April, I can't even put it into words.

When she's calmer, I ask, "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head, so I keep holding her. After a while, she says, "He scared me..."

"April... Did something happen?"

"I'm having a rough couple of days... Thanks for being my hero." She kisses my cheek, then asks me to call Colby, which I do. When he gets there, I let her go and he takes over hugging her. I'm feel uneasy as I leave her. Something definitely happened to her.

Win finds me. "Is she okay?" He asks.

"She's with Colby," I say.

"I don't like TJ. Don't trust him, either."

"I'm worried. She was really freaked out, Win. I wish I could help her..."

"Just try to be there if she needs you to. That's all you can do. If she asks you for something, do that thing. April will let you know what she needs when she's ready."

I nod. "Will _you_ be okay, Taylor?" He asks.

"I'm fine," I reply.

"I know how much things like this upset you."

"I'm just worried about her, but I'll be fine."

"If you're sure..."

"I am. But thanks for the brotherly concern." I force a smile. "Get back in character before you have to go out for your match."

He smiles, back in Bray Mode. (It's kind of like Brie Mode, only the crazy comes without the liquor.) "I'm _always_ in character," he says. "Bray Wyatt is not a character, it's a way of life." Sometimes, I think he really believes that. It's scary how he can flip that switch so well.

"Right... I'll see you later, Win." I wait backstage. After the inevitably long promo, I'm facing Mark Henry. I already know this is going to end badly.

My music starts and I go interrupt him as he is talking. I give him a Bo-lieve speech before the bell rings. The match itself lasts about two minutes. He hits me a couple of times, but he gets distracted by Rusev. I hit the Running Bo-dog and get the pin. I run backstage while he recovers. I'm doing a quick interview with Renee when he attacks me.

Mark Henry doesn't _do_ kayfabe when he's pissed off, and losing to me pissed him off. He hits me with all his weight, right on my ribs, and flings me against something. My hair falls in my face as I try to breathe. I'm in an insane amount of pain. I can't catch my breath. I think I'm actually crying. The shock of the force he used is so bad, my body is just _reacting_. I curl into a fetal position. The cameras are still rolling. I hide behind my hair, hoping no one can tell I'm crying (there's no crying in wrestling) and try to slow my breathing down.

When the camera cuts out, Renee says cheerfully, "Wow, you really sold that, Bo!"

I try to respond, to force a smile, to do _anything_ that makes it look like I'm okay, but I can't.

"Get a trainer, you twit!" Someone says. "He's hurt." Renee runs off. Tenille is bending by my side now. "Taylor? Taylor, are you alright?"

I can't move. It hurts too much. I'm not crying now, but I still can't breathe. A trainer reaches me. At the same time, so does Paul. "Taylor?" My boss asks. "You okay, Kid?"

I manage to shake my head. Paul gently moves Tenille out of the way and examines me with the trainer. "It looks bad... Broken ribs?"

"Probably. They were already hurt. This was too much for him," the trainer says.

"Mike's gonna kill me." They're talking about my dad, IRS. He's majorly overprotective of me. "Taylor, we need to get you to the hospital. Can you walk?"

I can't even uncurl from the fetal position. I bite my lip and force myself to do it anyway. With help from Paul, I make it to my feet. We get to the ambulance.

"Don't... tell... Bray," I manage to gasp out. It's easier to get out Bray than Windham.

"We'll wait until after his match," Paul says, understanding what I mean. I don't want my brother going out and getting distracted and possibly hurt because he's worried about me. I'd rather go alone to the hospital.

"Someone should go with him," Paul says suddenly. "Mike will kill me _twice_ if I send his kid off alone."

"I'll do it," Tenille says, "unless you plan to use me tonight?"

"Thank you, Tenille," Paul says. He sends us off.

"Mark Henry's kind of a dick, huh?" She asks, surprising me with her casual, blunt choice of words. "Was he _supposed_ to attack you?"

I still can't talk without it hurting, so I just nod. The details don't matter. "You'll be okay, Taylor. Just try to remember that. I know this must be scary for you. I mean, it's scary for _me_! I see how bad you're hurt... But you're strong. You'll be as good as new in no time." I nod again, grateful for the company, even if it's unexpected. I _am_ scared. This could be bad.

The pain is still really severe. I try to take a deep breath and everything goes black.

 _ **TENILLE**_

Taylor's _really_ hurt. I was watching him from backstage when he got attacked. I saw how bad it was. All I want to do is help him now.

He comes in and out of consciousness a few times before we get any news. He's got three broken ribs and one of them slightly punctured his lungs. The puncture is healing on its own, but his ribs will need time. At least he doesn't need surgery, and he can breathe again.

Bray comes into the room looking homicidal. He ignores me and starts demanding answers from Taylor's doctors. Taylor is shaking slightly, so I squeeze his hand. He looks at me and starts to calm down.

"You can't get stressed out," I remind him. "Your lungs are working extra hard right now."

"Thanks, Tenille... For coming with me," he says. "I was kind of scared, but I didn't want to mess up my brother's match."

"Anytime... But don't make a habit of scaring me like this," I say. "If you want to hang out, just ask." I smile at him. Somehow, he smiles back, and it even touches his eyes. He has the most adorable eyes when they're lit up like that.

"He's dead," Bray declares as he rejoins us. "I'm going to kill him!"

"Win, we talked about this-" Taylor says.

"No. This is different. He was _trying_ to injure you. He's still pissed about jobbing to Rusev, so they fed you to him! This isn't right."

"I'll be okay-"

"You could have been killed."

"You're overreacting-"

"Stop it, Taylor. There's no excuse for this."

I can tell they've had this fight often. I feel very out of place suddenly. "Taylor, can I get you anything? A drink?" I ask.

"Water would be nice, thanks," Taylor says, understanding my desire to escape. I think _he'd_ escape, too, if he could.

I leave the room and go for a walk to find a vending machine. I spot Saraya next to it. She's my best mate and she know I'm freaking out as soon as she sees me. I had texted her where I disappeared to, but I didn't expect her to show up. Then again, Saraya is nothing if not impulsive.

"Is poor Bo-Bo okay?" She asks. She tries to sound like she doesn't care, but I can see she is worried, too.

"He's hurt... It's bad, but it could be worse. He'll heal," I say as I hug her.

"So did you just go with him because he helped with your car? Or do you like him?"

"Of course I like Taylor. He's a sweetheart."

"That's not what I meant and you know it, Tenny."

"You're mad." I laugh. "We're just friends."

I find myself considering Taylor, not as a co-worker or a casual friend, but as something more. I think about how much I love his smile, and how his eyes make me happy. He's the nicest guy in the world, too. Maybe I could potentially crush on him, but I'm sure he's not into me...

Saraya smirks at me knowingly. "Oh, shut up," I say. I smack her arm playfully. She smacks mine back and we laugh. She lets the subject go, but I know she'll bring it back up later.

We walk back to Taylor's room together. The brothers aren't fighting anymore. I give Taylor his water and he smiles at me in thanks.

"Bray Wyatt believes in modern medicine?" Saraya asks in mock-shock. She's totally fearless. Bray freaks me out.

"Only when it comes to _him_ ," Bray says, embracing the role he plays so well. He and Saraya go back and forth in character for a while. I slip Taylor's hand back into mine and we exchange a silent smile. I relax. It's not as awkward with Saraya here, especially with her picking on Bray. He's a good sport, not missing a beat as he replies to her in all his insane cult-leader glory.

Taylor squeezes my hand and I feel surprisingly happy. Saraya's right. I appear to be crushing. I'm a _Bo-liever_. It doesn't matter, though. A wrestling legacy has no reason to be interested in someone like me, someone who's being used as nothing but a jobber now. The end of that doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon. I push these thoughts right out of my head and focus on the sound of Taylor's laughter instead.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

 _ **TAYLOR**_

I'm not cleared to wrestle, but I travel with the company anyway. I can do meet and greets with fans and come out and talk without an issue, and Paul has sworn to my brother that Mark Henry won't be allowed anywhere near me. We're at the airport with April, Dean, and Colby.

April looks really uncomfortable when Nattie calls her over. TJ is with her. I get angry just at the sight of that guy. I still don't like the way he was grabbing April the other day. As April's discomfort clearly grows, I wave her over to us. She thanks me gratefully and I let her know I'll be sitting near her on the plane.

Once we're settled in at the hotel, Jericho lets everyone know he's throwing a party. It's weird to be invited to a party with Jericho. He excluded the NXT people, so it's sort of amazing to be considered cool enough to attend. Win is planning on going, which should be funny to watch. Even at parties, he stays in character. It freaks people out sometimes, but it can also be really amusing.

I decide a party warrants dressing up and pull out a silk shirt. I iron it so it's perfect and then take a quick shower before getting dressed. I head upstairs with Win and we enter the party. Rowan's there in his sheep mask. This isn't abnormal. It's a running joke that the Wyatts live their gimmick. I've seen Harper and Rowan, whose real names are Jon and Joseph, out of character, but almost no one else has. Harper responds to Harper for the same reason Dean uses Dean; there are too many Jons in WWE. Joseph usually responds to Rowan, but those who know him beyond the sheep mask get to call him Joseph and I'm on that list. I'm not a huge fan of Harper's because he can be a jerk a lot of the time, but Joseph's not so bad. I nod at him in acknowledgement before looking for someone to hang out with.

Tenille's standing alone by a table, so I decide to join her. "Hey, Sunshine," I greet her.

"Hello there, Mr. Bolieve! How are you feeling?" She asks me.

"I'm okay. Better every day. What's a nice girl like you doing alone at a place like this?"

"I was just waiting for the right company to come along." She studies me for a second before saying, "You'll do."

I smile. We start talking about random things. I'm really glad to be hanging out with her again. I like spending time with Tenille. She makes me smile. The usual awkwardness I feel at parties is vanishing as we spend more time talking.

 _ **TENILLE**_

I'm so relieved Taylor came over to talk to me. Saraya is in _Three Amigas_ mode, so I'm sort of on my own while she goes and parties with Alicia and Rosa. I don't mind too much, but I do feel left out sometimes. I don't have a lot of friends in WWE, especially as they've been burying me, so I'm feeling pretty lonely.

Taylor's smile makes everything seem better. We're talking for a while before I even realize any time has passed. I decide we need to spend more time together, because it's a lot of fun.

As the party starts to wind down a little bit, I don't want to stop hanging out. "Can we go to the bar down the block so we can keep chatting?" I ask him.

"Sure!" He says. "I'd like that. Just let me run by my room and grab my wallet."

I smile, knowing tonight I'll have good company. It's nice not to have to worry about feeling lonely for once.

 _ **TAYLOR**_

I'm hurrying toward my room when I see her. April is barely able to stand and is outside of her hotel room. She nearly hits the floor, and I rush to her side to steady her.

"April, are you okay?" I ask. I reach out to touch her and she jumps away. I get a good look at her and I know with a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach that something terrible has happened. She's shaking, bloody, and her hair is wild. She was obviously attacked. I realize with horror that someone has raped her.

I soften my tone and ask, "April, who hurt you?" She shakes her head. "You need help," I say. "Your head is bleeding. Let me help. I promise I won't hurt you."

She lets me take her arm. I try to guide her back to her room, but the shaking gets worse and she starts crying. "Please…" She begs me. "Anywhere else."

"April…" I'm horrified and heartbroken for her and not sure what the heck to do. "God, April, we need to call the police."

"No. No cops. No. No, no, no…" She keeps repeating the word like a mantra. I hold her and she sobs into my silk shirt. I wish my brother was there because he'd know what to do. Win always knows what to do in a crisis. I want to help her so badly.

"Holy shit, what happened?" A female voice asks. I look up and see Rosa Mendes. She gives me a dirty look like she's wondering if I did this.

"She's hurt," I say. I know my voice is shaking. "She won't let me call the police."

Rosa seems to decide I'm not the bad guy here. "Go," she tells me. "I've got her. She needs a woman right now."

I'm sure April _does_ need a woman, but I can't just leave her. I look at her, and she nods. "Please don't tell anyone about this," April begs me.

I know she needs help and I want her to go to the cops and make whoever did this pay for it. In fact, I kind of want to find the guy and beat the hell out of him for this, but that's not what she needs to hear right now. Instead, I tell her, "I won't do anything you don't want me to do." She hugs me and I walk away, not sure what to do now.

I wander to my room, not even remembering at first why I'm there. Then Tenille flashes into my head. I grab my wallet and I change my shirt. The silk is soaked through with April's tears. I pull on a t-shirt. I look at my reflection. My eyes are red, so I wash my face and try to calm down. Panic is overwhelming me.

April was raped. April was _raped_ and she's not telling the police and I don't even know who the monster is that did this to her. I really don't want to stand around uselessly crying, but I feel like I can't breathe. I drink some water and try to calm down. She's with Rosa. She's safe. She'll be okay. I just need to let her do whatever she needs to do. She'll let me know what she needs from me, right?

There is a knock on my door. I pull myself together and go answer it.

 _ **TENILLE**_

I decided to check on Taylor when he didn't come back. When he opens the door, he looks very upset and he's changed his shirt. "Are you alright?" I ask. I walk into his room.

"I'm fine," he says. "Sorry I got delayed… I just ran into someone who needed my help, but I'm ready now."

He doesn't look ready. He looks broken. I hug him. "You don't have to talk about it, but I can tell you're upset. Let's stay in. We can watch bad television and just talk."

He looks a little freaked out. "Are you okay with having me here?" I ask.

"Of course I am," he says quickly. "I'm sorry… I'm just stressed out."

"That's okay. Everyone gets stressed. Let's relax and see if it helps." I sit down on his bed and grab the remote for the television. I don't like seeing Taylor upset. I decide I'll distract him no matter what it takes.

Nearly an hour later, he finally starts laughing a little bit. His smile returns. I'm curled up next to him on his bed thinking if he were anyone else, this would be weird. Instead, it's just kind of nice. I'm really glad I'm getting to know him better. Taylor's about the only good thing about being in WWE lately.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

 _ **TAYLOR**_

The following night, I am nervously watching April's match from backstage. I'm still really worried about her. Tenille calmed me down, but I couldn't tell her what happened. I'm going insane wondering if the monster that hurt my friend is lurking in the shadows waiting to strike again. Since I can't know for sure, I decide I'm going to stay as close to April as possible from now on.

Things are okay for a short time before Nikki goes way off-script and attacks April. I watch in horror as she hits her head hard pretty much exactly where it was hurt yesterday. I want to run out there and help her, but I obviously can't. Luckily, Bryan is back for the night, and he gets involved. I see him tell the referee to call the match, but Brie steals the win at Nikki's insistence.

I can hardly believe she pulled that! As April is helped backstage, I rush to her. "She hit her head yesterday," I tell the trainers because they need to know. "Nikki caught the same spot." I'm starting to panic as I watch April in obvious pain.

Paul makes everyone back up as Stephanie demands answers from Brie who denies planning this with Nikki. April suddenly panics and starts fighting against the trainers. My heart breaks for her. I want to help, but Colby and Dean beat me to it and calm her down. It's so hard to watch her freak out like this. I've never felt this helpless in my life. All I want to do is fix this and make sure no one ever hurts her again, but I can't even do that. I have no idea who hurt her. I don't even know how to _begin_ to help.

I'm terrified that the injury is bad. I know how bad she was yesterday. What if Nikki did real damage? April shouldn't have been out there tonight. She needs help, but I let her talk me out of telling anyone, and now she's hurt badly.

They decide it's a concussion but that she should be okay in a couple of days. I realize I'm crying slightly. _Get a grip, Taylor,_ I scold myself. _She's going to be okay._ I discretely wipe away a tear and volunteer to stay with April during Colby's match.

When we are alone, I hug her and say, "April, I'm sorry..."

"For what?" She asks.

"For not being able to help... Watching you freak out... April, you need help. You can't just keep this bottled up. You'll snap."

She leans against me. "Taylor, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I'm okay. I just had a really bad head injury and I confused time. I'm okay now."

"You can talk to me if you need to," I say gently. "You don't have to tell me details, or even who it was, but you can vent to me if you're scared. You don't have to do this alone, April." I may not be able to fix this, but at least I can let her know she's not alone. People should know that kind of thing. I can't do much for her, but I can be here for her. I can be a friend.

She looks like she might cry as she pulls me into a hug. "That means a lot to me."

I hold her for a bit until Dean and Colby come back. They shower in shifts. While Dean is with us, Phil calls. I can hear they are having a fight. Dean finally gets fed up, takes the phone, and curses Phil out. I can't say I blame him. When Colby returns, he takes April back to his room and I'm alone.

I realize I'm shaking. I have a million thoughts racing through my head and can't slow any of them down, so I text Win. _I need yo_ u is all I send him. He appears backstage a minute later. Win takes one look at my face and drops the Bray Wyatt persona immediately.

"What happened?" He asks me.

"I just... I don't want to be alone right now," I say, feeling pathetic.

"Sorry, boys," he calls over his shoulder. "I'm not coming tonight."

I see his storyline minions standing nearby. They don't argue. "I'm sorry," I say quickly. "If you have plans, I can just-"

"It's nothing that can't wait, Taylor," he insists. "You're more important."

I feel bad. I can see in his eyes that he's scared. I know he's flashing back on a day neither of us will likely forget, even though I wish I could. I was sixteen and hurting. My depression had gotten so bad, I'd decided I couldn't take it anymore. I took a knife from the kitchen and went up to my room. I remember thinking that would make a mess that my poor mother would be stuck cleaning up, so after I made a fairly bad cut, I wrapped my wrist in a sweatshirt, applying pressure so I didn't bleed all over the carpet, and I went into my dad's room. He had tons of painkillers I figured might do the trick. I swallowed half a bottle before Win came barging into the room. He'd immediately sprung into action, grabbing the pills from me. He dragged me to the bathroom and forced me to throw up.

I remember him rubbing my back and telling me everything would be okay. He was crying. That scared me. Win never cries, but I'd freaked him out that badly. He couldn't understand why I'd done it. I puked for what felt like hours and then Win unwrapped my wrist. The sweatshirt was destroyed, so he threw it away. He did his best to disinfect the nasty gash before taking our mom's sewing kit and stitching it closed himself. I guess I was lucky he'd had first aid training.

He made me swear I'd never try to do that again, that I'd always call him if I needed help. I promised him I'd try, although I wasn't sure I could bring myself to do it. I begged him not to tell our parents and he never did, but I know it still haunts him. Part of him is scared I'll do it again. Part of me is afraid of that sometimes, too.

I let him take me back to his hotel room. He insists I crash in his bed and he sits on the couch. I know he won't sleep. He never does when he's worried about me. I hate being such a burden.

 _You have to stop doing this,_ I tell myself. _Life is good. You don't have any reason to be depressed._ That's been drilled into me by my father since I was thirteen and I told him I thought I might be depressed. My dad is great, but he's old school, and in his mind, only weak men get depressed for "no reason." I learned to hide it from him after a while, and eventually I hid it from everyone, always smiling and staying super positive and upbeat.

Maybe if I say I'm okay enough times, I'll start to believe it... Or at least _Bo-_ lieve it. If I live my gimmick like Win lives his, maybe I'll be okay.

 _ **TENILLE**_

I am super excited that Rosa's invited me to her slumber party to cheer up April. I haven't been to a slumber party in ages! Poor April has a concussion because of Evil Nikki Bella and can't work, so she definitely needs her friends. Romantic comedies are (tragically) banned, but it's going to be a _Harry Potter_ marathon instead, and I'm excited about that. I love all the magic in the films and I watch intently.

We're all having a splendid night. Eventually, we drift off to sleep. I dream of a land of pixies and I'm dancing amongst them. In fact, I start teaching them the dance for my entrance music, and they're actually quite good at it. My little friends flap their tiny wings eagerly and giggle excitedly as they dance along. One dangles from my fingers as I move my hand through the air. She seems to be enjoying herself as much as I am and we smile at each other.

Suddenly, a scream invades my dream. The pixies pause in alarm, then fade away as I wake up. April is thrashing in her sleep and screaming.

Foxy is stirring as I stand up. Rosa looks terrified. Saraya leaps up and has a baseball bat in her hands. She looks ready to attack (or play ball) and I wonder how none of us noticed the bat under her pillow. She slips it back underneath when she realizes no one is actually under attack.

"April, wake up!" Rosa calls. I suspect she knows what April is dreaming about from the look on her face.

April finally does and she stares at us in confusion. "You were screaming in your sleep," Saraya explains.

"I've had some wicked nightmares, but this seemed pretty bad," I say.

"Are you okay?" Foxy asks her.

"I'm sorry," April says quickly.

"Don't apologize," Rosa says.

April launches into an explanation. She tells us she was molested as a kid and I'm horrified. All I want to do is hug her. Saraya curses, which _also_ seems like a good reaction, but I go with my first instinct and hug her as I tell her how sorry I am she went through that.

The story is heartbreaking. She was so young... Foxy and Saraya are furious. I think we all are, but they don't try to hide it. I just keep trying to comfort her. Rosa decides to put on another movie and none of us try to sleep after that.

I want so badly to help April. This happened years ago, but it's clear she's haunted by it. I really hope she'll be alright as the sun comes up. I wish I could bring her into my dreams of the land of pixies, where she'd be happy and safe. Maybe someday, she'll find her own happy place, but I'd be happy to lend her mine if I could.

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_ _Sorry for the delay! I have a bunch of fics going at once right now and it's hard to keep up. I'll try to do better. Thanks for being patient!_


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

 _ **TAYLOR**_

My insomnia is acting up. I'm sitting on my laptop trying to distract myself when there is a knock on my door. It's late, so I'm not sure who it might be. I open it up to find my brother standing on the other side.

"Have you been on Twitter?" He asks me. Win isn't much of a Tweeter unless he's using it for a storyline angle, but he does follow the tweets of most of the other wrestlers. He's not even slightly in character right now.

"No... What's going on?" I ask.

"Taylor, something's happened... It's all over Twitter and I didn't want you to just come across it yourself, so I came straight here."

"Win, what is it? What's wrong?"

"There's been an accident." He pauses as my heart starts racing. "The details are sketchy, but... April was in the car, Taylor."

I freeze. April's been in an accident and it's so serious, my brother came to tell me in person. I force myself to take a breath and I ask, "How bad was it, Win?"

"They haven't given details on injuries, but..." He hesitates.

"Just tell me. Please."

"Someone leaked photos to the dirt sheets. The car was beyond totaled, Taylor. It would be a miracle if they are all okay."

" _They_? Who else was in the car, Win?" I remember April said she was going to an indy show... With Rosa.

"The reports are saying Rosa was involved... And for whatever reason, Drew Mac- I mean, _Galloway._ No one seems to know why Drew was in the car with them."

A million scenarios race through my head. I jump on Twitter. "Taylor, don't." Win protests. "You don't want to see that."

"I _need_ to," I insist. It doesn't feel real, and I can't process it until I know more. "I have to know how bad this is. She's my friend, Win. They _all_ are." Rosa is a low-carder like I am, and Drew was before he was released. They've both always been really great to me, and I'm horrified that this happened to them.

Something worse than horror fills me as I immediately see a ton of retweets of the images from the accident. They start out with the damage to the vehicle. The driver's side door is completely smashed in, and the back door is almost as bad. I know immediately that whoever was driving is most likely dead. It would take a miracle to survive that kind of impact. The door is nearly smashed in all the way through to the passenger seat. It looks like that whole quarter of the car never existed. The backseat is bad, but if someone was in the right position, they could have survived. The passenger side looks like there is blood on the windshield. I try not to obsess about who might have been sitting where.

There are more images. The car is smoking and then I can see a tall figure that has to be Drew emerging from the car. More photos show him leaning into the backseat. He comes out with a small, blurry figure in his arms that I'm pretty sure is April. If that's the case, Rosa was driving, and I know what that might mean. In the next shot, Drew's in the car again, and the smoke is worse. He comes out with another person I think is Rosa. She looks bad, but it's hard to tell. The next shot makes me gasp. The car is fully engulfed in flames.

I can't believe what I'm seeing, so I read the article attached to the photos.

 _A short time ago, two WWE Divas and a former WWE Superstar were involved in a serious car crash. It appears another vehicle crashed into the car at a very high speed. The vehicle, shown here, was destroyed. Sources say that AJ Lee was a passenger in the vehicle along with former WWE Superstar Drew Galloway, who has recently been performing on the independent circuit, and who is a current member of the TNA roster. It is unclear at this time why Galloway was in the vehicle with the current WWE Divas. The driver is reported to have been Rosa Mendes, who is known to be a recovering addict. It is unclear whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash at this time. The condition of all three is currently unknown, however, photos captured Galloway pulling first Lee and then Mendes from the burning vehicle. We will continue to report on this story as it develops._

I stare at the screen. "Where were they taken?" I ask.

"I'm not sure," Win admits.

I google the number of every single ambulance company in the area. I know they won't tell just anyone where they dropped three famous wrestlers off, but I'm desperate. If the person is a wrestling fan, they might know who I am. "I'm trying to find my friend. I saw on the news that she's been in a car accident," I say.

"What is her name, Sir?" The man on the phone asks.

"April. April Brooks. She may be listed under her maiden name, Mendez, or her stage name, which is AJ Lee. I'm not sure if she was conscious to tell anyone her legal name."

The man hesitates. "You're her friend?" He asks.

"Yes. I work with her. My name is Taylor Rotunda."

"I'm sorry, but-"

" _Bo Dallas_ ," I say quickly. "This is Bo Dallas, and all three of the people in that car are friends of mine, so please-"

"Oh, the _Bo-lieve_ guy? Yeah, I _love_ that guy! So funny! But... I mean, can you _prove_ it?"

I can't believe this. I really don't have time for this level of stupidity. "How?"

.

"I don't know... Say something inspirational or something."

I sigh. Is this _really_ necessary? With as much fake enthusiasm as I can manage, I say, "You can do anything. All you have to do is _Bo-lieve!_ "

"I don't know... I mean, _anyone_ can say that-"

I throw up my arms in frustration. Win takes the phone from me and I see the switch flip. "Hello, my dear public servant!" He says. "It appears you are not understanding the urgency of the present situation. You special, special boy! You are merely a _mortal,_ but do you know who _I_ am? _I_ am _Bray Wyatt,_ the Eater of Worlds, and I believe that Mr. Dallas has asked you a question. Now, you're going to _answer_ that question, or I am going to come introduce you to _Sister Abigail_. Do you understand me, my good son?" He pauses and writes something down. "Good. Now go forth, and spread the word!" He hangs up. Then he looks at me.

"The Eater of Worlds? Really? You used _that_ line on him?"

"Well it _worked_ ," he says, handing me the address he wrote down. "Come on. I'll give you a ride."

"You don't have to-"

"You're not driving anywhere like this. You're upset. I'll drop you off, and you can call me when you need me to come get you."

"Windham, I'm not fifteen. I can drive myself."

He takes my keys out of my hand. "Not. Until. You're. _Calmer_ ," He says firmly.

I can't win this fight, so I let him drive me to the hospital. I see all three Shield members. They hurry in and I follow them up to the waiting area. A giant weight is lifted off my shoulders when I see April standing there looking relatively unhurt. Colby runs to her first, but I'm right behind him.

"Oh God... Oh my God... We saw the photos of the car," I ramble as I pull her into my arms. "The details were vague on how hurt you guys were... You... You could have..." I can't say it.

"You could have been killed," Colby finishes for me.

April explains that Drew insisted she wear her seatbelt and it saved her life. He also pulled her out of the car, which I knew from the photos. Drew is standing close looking worse than April, but not that bad.

Things turn ugly as Phil demands April leave and April refuses because there's been no word on Rosa. He grabs her and every last one of us is ready to attack him. I actually I take a few steps in his direction, but Joe beats me there. Joe hits him, and April begs Phil to leave. I know they're going to end up having a huge fight about this later, but he leaves for now.

At that point, we just wait... And wait... And wait for news on Rosa. Finally, the doctors tell us she survived. I feel like I can breathe again, even though there's a chance she is paralyzed. At least she's alive. There's still hope she will be okay.

Nattie is with us now, and she's freaking out. Dean offers to drive her back to the hotel. "I can't leave my rental," Nattie argues. I can tell she's in no shape to drive.

"I've got it, Nattie. I don't have my car, so I can drive your car back for you," I say. It's that, or I have to feel like a teenager calling his big brother for a ride. This works out for both of us.

"Thank you, Taylor," she says.

"No problem." I'm a lot calmer now that I know April is okay, and everyone is alive.

"April, come with us," Colby says. "We can drop you off with Phil."

"Okay," April agrees. I hate that she's going to him, but I hope he will cut her some slack and not fight with her. She just survived a crash that should have killed her and Rosa, and possibly even Drew. He should be grateful, not picking fights.

I get back to the hotel and park Nattie's car. It's time to try to get a little rest, if that's even possible.

 _ **TENILLE**_

I go back and forth on whether or not I like social media. My fans are great, but too many people are cruel. I avoided it last night, but I log on this morning and am greeted by something terrifying; grim photos of a car accident. I see almost immediately that two of my best friends were in that car, along with Drew Galloway, the biggest sweetheart on the planet, probably second only to Taylor. I can't think or breathe.

I can't process what I'm seeing. I can't bring myself to call Saraya or Foxy or Nattie, all of whom might know more details, because I'm afraid of the answer. I saw the first photo of the accident. The driver's door was crushed. That was Rosa's rental, and I know she was the one driving… She could be dead. God, she probably _is_ dead! I deal with a lot of things very well, but death doesn't happen to be one of them. I can't handle this. I can't imagine what I'll do if Rosa or April or Drew didn't make it out of that car alive. I'm not prone to panic attacks, but I think I'm on the verge of one. I don't know what to do, so I go for a walk, aimlessly wandering around the hotel. I get to the stairwell that leads to the garage and I can't take it anymore. I start to cry.

"Tenille?" A voice calls.

I look up and see Taylor. His face is filled with concern. "What's wrong?" He asks me.

"There… There was… an accident," I manage to say. "I don't know if they're okay, and… and… Rosa and April and Drew were-"

"They're alive," Taylor cuts me off quickly.

"What?" I ask. I'm not sure I heard him right. "Are you sure?"

"I just came from the hospital, Tenille. They're alive. _All_ of them."

I fling myself into his arms as relief floods through me. He is obviously surprised, but he embraces me, making soothing sounds and trying to calm me down as I bury my head in his shoulders and cry.

"Are they okay? How bad were they hurt?" I finally ask.

"April and Drew got away with pretty minor injuries, but…" He hesitates. "Rosa needed surgery. She's still unconscious, but they said she's going to make it. The thing is… It might be bad, Tenille. They won't know until she's awake. She could be paralyzed."

The words terrify me. I shake in his arms. He holds me a little bit tighter. "Paralyzed?" I ask. I can't imagine Rosa, so full of life and always dancing just like me, stuck in a wheelchair.

"They aren't sure yet. The damage was pretty bad. She's lucky she survived."

I nod. "She survived," I repeat. I need to keep telling myself that. I need to know that whatever happens, Rosa is going to live through this.

I look at Taylor. "I should go to the hospital… Make sure someone's there when she wakes up," I say.

"Drew's still there. He insisted on staying until she's awake. Tommy Dreamer stayed behind, too."

"Tommy Dreamer?" I'm confused.

"Tommy was at the indy show April and Rosa went to. So was Drew. That's why he was with them. After the show, the four of them went out with Colt Cabana, and they were drinking. Well, everyone except Rosa, from what I understand. Tommy and Colt Cabana took a cab back to their hotel. Drew was staying somewhere else, so Rosa offered him a lift. Someone crashed into them. Drew hit his head pretty hard, but he'll be okay. April was pinned, but after she wiggled herself slightly free, he was able to pull her out. They think her small size saved her life. That, and the fact that Drew made her put on her seatbelt. Anyway, then Drew pulled Rosa out of the car, because it was smoking. It caught fire right after."

I'm blown away by the story. If Rosa had been conscious, she'd have loved to see Drew Galloway play superhero. She totally has a crush on him, and here he was, her knight in shining armor come to the rescue, and she missed it. That's mildly ironic.

"I can't believe this," I say. I sigh and realize my stomach hurts and I'm a little bit dizzy. "I'm so stressed out, I skipped breakfast, and now I'm famished," I say aloud.

Taylor immediately says, "Come on."

"Where?"

"There's a café down the block. I'm buying you breakfast."

"Taylor, you just spent the night in a hospital waiting room. You're exhausted."

"Now that you mention food, I'm hungry, too."

"Okay, but you don't have to pay for me-"

"You won't win that fight, Tenille. You've had a hard morning. Let me pay for breakfast, okay?" He smiles at me and I melt a little bit inside. Taylor has the most adorable smile. "You should let people do nice things for you once in a while."

I nod. "Fine," I say. "Let's go." I follow him out of the hotel and we head to the café. It's pretty cute, and the atmosphere is very relaxing. I try to let that distract me as we sit down and order our food.

Taylor and I make some small talk. It's not awkward because he's so easy to talk to. He takes the conversation away from the drama of the accident and talks to me about pretty much everything else. We discuss the weather, our very yummy food, and eventually, Creative's booking of the two of us.

"So, who has the worse gimmick? Me or you?" I ask him.

He laughs. "I guess it's a toss-up. At least you're a babyface. It's hard to be a heel with my motivational speeches, but I do the best I can."

"It's hard for you to be a heel in general. You're too sweet. It comes across when you talk. Don't get me wrong. You've really embraced your gimmick and I _totally Bo-lieve_ , but when you smile and it reaches your eyes…" I pause, trying not to sound too weird. "Your smiling eyes make people happy, Taylor. You literally spread joy wherever you are, and it comes across, and I love that about you. Just like my dancing makes people happy, your very amusing promos do the same thing."

He looks serious for a moment. "It's in my blood to be a heel. My family kind of expects it… But I sort of like being able to make people happy."

"You're great at your role, Taylor. Creative just doesn't know how to use that."

"You know what? We should put our gimmicks together!" He says suddenly.

"I love that idea!" I admit. "We'd be great in the ring together, with you _Bo-lieving_ and me dancing."

"We should suggest it. I mean, the worst they can say is no, right? The fans would love it."

"I think you're right." I'm fully distracted now as I think about ways to convince Creative that this idea is a golden one. I really like spending time with Taylor, and the idea of working with him in a storyline really excites me. I hope we can make this work. As we start planning our proposal together, I temporarily forget about everything else.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

 _ **TENILLE**_

The next few days are a mix of talking to Creative about possibly working with Taylor, training in case they actually book me in a match soon, and visiting Rosa. I hate hospitals, but I put that aside for Rosa. I swing by the gift shop and find the perfect present for her.

I head upstairs and see Drew Galloway sitting by her side. I smile at him. "Hey, Tenille," he greets me.

Rosa looks up and smiles at me brightly. I can tell her enthusiasm is forced, but I know her. She's determined and she'll find a way to make the best of this situation somehow.

I produce the stuffed koala bear I just purchased. Rosa's face lights up and her smile is genuine now. "Oh my God, it's so _cute_!" She declares.

"I'd have smuggled in a real one for you, but apparently, koalas aren't legal pets here in the States," I say.

Rosa laughs. "This is perfect. Thanks, Tenny."

"Happy to make you smile." I carefully hug her. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been worse."

"Really?" I can't imagine how that's possible.

"You'd be surprised. Anyway, how are _you_?"

"Swell."

We make some small talk. Drew contributes random things to the conversation. I like the way he's watching over her. I can tell her really cares about her, and I wonder if there's more to it.

Finally, when it's time for me to leave, I hug Rosa again. "I love you, Girl," she tells me.

"I love you, too," I say. "Keep fighting."

"Always." She looks more determined than ever, and I believe her.

I leave the hospital with mixed emotions. Rosa seems to be in good spirits, but it's hard seeing her trapped in a hospital bed and knowing she can't walk. I focus on sending as much positive mojo her way as I can manage.

 _ **TAYLOR**_

Creative has decided that in a couple of days, Tenille and I will get to test out our idea. I'm psyched they actually went for it. Creative tends to strike down almost everyone's ideas, and who are we, right? We're not exactly the types who can make demands and get whatever we want. I think they're just sort of lost as to what to do with both of our characters and they're relieved someone's giving them ideas.

I decide to go for a walk to clear my head as a bunch of unwelcome thoughts invade my mind. I should be really excited right now, and I am, but part of me is obsessing over all of the bad things happening around me. I'm still worried about April. I'm heartbroken for Rosa. And even though I know I should be happy, my Depression is flaring again.

I can't explain what's wrong. I don't even really know. I just know that I'm hurting. I wander through the nearest park and wish I didn't feel so alone. Why does this stupid Depression have to ruin everything? It's like no matter how happy I get, that darkness rises up and swallows me every single time.

 _Stop it, Taylor,_ I scold myself. _Things are finally going right with your character. Focus on that._

I try to, but it's not enough. I feel so damn empty right now. I sigh and sit down on a bench, staring at the lake until there is nothing else on my mind. Being around water always calms me down. I finally feel like the worst is over, and I leave the park. Unfortunately, I know those feelings will come back. They always do.

 _ **TENILLE**_

We have to leave for our next show. My heart is breaking because I know Rosa's stuck in this town and we have no idea when or if we'll ever see her again. I can't stand that idea, so I try not to think about it.

A couple of days later, when April is cleared to come back to the ring, she requests that I be her opponent. I'm thrilled. I love April, and I know we'll have fun together. Besides that, it'll be nice to have a decent match for once. I feel like most of my matches lately have been mediocre at best. April's the kind of opponent I know will make the whole experience far more exciting. On top of that, tonight is the night Taylor is going to approach me on screen.

The match itself is amazing. April and I each get hits in. She asked me not to go easy on her, so I don't. I pull her into submission after submission after submission. She finds ways to escape all of them, either with rope breaks or reversals. I almost get her with the Dill-Emma, but somehow, she escapes that, too. Finally, I go for the Emma-Mite Sandwich. I nail that, but April rolls away before I can pin her or even hit her again.

April hits the Shining Wizard on me, and I'm done for. I take the pin and let her win. The crowd is cheering loudly, and I know we put on a hell of a match.

That's when Taylor's music starts. He comes out grandly and fully in-character, he proclaims, "It's okay, Emma. You'll beat her next time. All you have to do… Is _Bo-Lieve_!" He extends his hand to help me up, and I gladly take it.

April stays in character. She rolls her eyes and skips away. That leaves just me and Taylor out there. April skipped away to her music, but now mine begins to play. I start dancing around, showing Taylor how to dance to my music. He picks up the "Emma" pretty quickly, and we spend a couple of minutes dancing around. The fans seem to be enjoying watching the two of us be complete spazzes. I'm having a lot of fun. Taylor's smiling much more naturally than his character does, and I realize he's having fun, too.

We walk backstage together. Taylor is still smiling, and so am I. "Great match," I tell April. "We should do that more often." I'm hoping she feels the same way. I really enjoyed working with her tonight.

"Definitely," April says. She looks really enthusiastic.

I excuse myself to go take a shower. As I continue thinking about what just happened, I'm filled with a hope that things are going to get better for both Taylor and me now that our characters are working together.

 _ **TAYLOR**_

I can't stop smiling. That was so much fun! I don't feel nearly as empty as I have been lately, and that's a relief. I watch Tenille as she walks away.

"She's great, right?" I ask April. "That was fun!"

April smiles at me. "She's the best," she says. "You two should hang out sometime."

"You think so?"

"Definitely. Tenille's a ton of fun."

I feel myself blushing because it's obvious April has noticed I seem to have developed a crush on Tenille. This is new for me. I've never really looked at Tenille like this before, but lately… It seems more often than not, she's on my mind.

"Maybe," I say awkwardly. "Great match, April… I should go." I rush off. When I'm alone, I relive the entire experience in my mind.

I can't help but think about all of the times I've been around Tenille. She's always super nice to me, and she makes me laugh, but is it possible there's more going on between us? Will she freak out if I tell her I think I might have feelings for her that go beyond friendship? I don't want anything to get weird between us. I really like Tenille and I'd rather have her in my life as a friend than not at all.

I bump straight into Win. "You alright there, Taylor?" He asks me.

"Yeah," I say. "Just not watching where I'm going."

"What's on your mind?"

"Tenille," I admit. I have issues lying to Win.

He cracks a smile at that. "Really, now?" He asks. "What about her?"

"I… I think I like her, Win." I feel like a little kid, but who else can I talk to about stuff like this right now?

"Then you should tell _her_ that."

"I can't do that. I'm not going to risk upsetting her."

"It's not about upsetting her. I'm sure she likes you, too."

"You're nuts. She's not interested in me, Win. I mean, why w _ould_ she be?"

"Because you're quite a catch."

"A _catch_?"

"Sorry. Still slightly in character. Anyway, you're a great guy, Taylor. You take care of the people you love. You treat women with respect. You're kind to them. I know that one day, you're going to make a great husband to a very lucky woman."

"Stop building me up… Thank you for the effort, but I know I'm nothing special."

"Stop knocking yourself, Taylor. You know how I feel about that."

I change the subject abruptly. Win knows he'll never get me to see my own appeal, and he's usually fine with it as long as I don't trash myself in front of him. It makes me feel pathetic when he insists on pushing how great I am.

I run into someone from Creative in the hallway outside of my hotel room. "You did great!" He tells me. "Your segment went over so well, we're _definitely_ making it a permanent thing!"

I'm amazed, but also honored. We did so well that Creative has already decided to keep us. "Really?" I ask.

"Absolutely! Emma and Bo Dallas may not work well on their own, but together? You guys are pure gold!" He walks away and I'm left wondering what will happen next. No matter what, with Tenille taking the journey with me, I know it will be awesome.


End file.
